A Comparison of Teenage and Older Mothers: A Systems Analysis

A multivariate, causal model of the influences of childbearing and early child rearing was developed to investigate the potential impact of teenage mothers upon their children. The model was evaluated as a system of linear equations using data obtained from a sample of 62 women (15-32 years old) and their firstborn children. From the complex results of the analysis, the two most important relationships were that (a) socioeconomic status was the strongest single influence upon each variable in the model and (b) the influence of maternal age consistently was in the opposite direction to that of socioeconomic status. The relevance of the analysis to future research in teenage parenting and to programs for teenage parents is discussed. The model used was not entirely satisfactory, and suggestions for improving the model are discussed.